The present invention relates to an air and liquid supplying device for an endoscope, and more specifically to an air and liquid supplying device capable of feeding a liquid into a feed air passage of an endoscope to wash the passage.
In general, when using an endoscope, filthy things, such as mucus, are liable to stick to a monitoring window at the distal end of the insert section of the endoscope, thereby narrowing the field of vision for observation. In order to ensure a satisfactory observation, therefore, water is supplied to a nozzle at the distfal end of the insert section through the feed liquid passage of the endoscope, and is then sprayed on the surface of the monitoring window to wash the same. Air is then delivered to the nozzle through a feed air passage to remove any water drops remaining on the monitoring window.
Recently, in hospitals, infections from endoscopes have become a problem. To avoid such an infection, the insert section of an endoscope, after use, is conventionally immersed in an antiseptic solution, or the antiseptic solution is passed through a forceps channel to disinfect the interior of the channel. Also, the feed liquid passage, which, like the forceps channel, can easily be supplied with water or medical fluid, is conventionally washed and disinfected.
In order to securely disinfect the whole structure of an endoscope, the interior of the feed air passage also needs to be washed and disinfected, since some filth may possibly flow backward from the nozzle into the feed air passage. Owing to the structural conditions of the endoscope, however, it is particularly hard to wash or disinfect the feed air passage. Accordingly, the feed air passage is usually left unwashed and undisinfected after use, and so the filth attached to the feed air passage can possibly cause an infection.